The present invention relates to breathable pressurized-gas reducing valves and more particularly to reducing valves intended for diving, of the type comprising a gas inlet passage connectable to a source of pressurized gas and incorporating a filter.
A reducing valve of this type is described for example in document U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,096—US Divers Co.
The filter in the inlet passage protects the reducing valve mechanism, and the mechanism of the downstream regulator, and also protects the user from any particles contained in the source of pressurized gas. However, during the manipulations of disconnecting the reducing valve from this source of pressurized gas, usually immediately after a dive, the source, and also the reducing valve and the auxiliary parts, are dripping with water and droplets may come into contact with the filter, the spongy consistency of which encourages it to remain wet and therefore encourages accelerated corrosion of the mechanisms, especially since, after this separation of the compressed gas source, the inlet is generally plugged with a protective cap, particularly for the pre-storage rinsing operations.
It is an object of the present invention to propose a reducing valve structure that avoids the abovementioned drawbacks.
To achieve this, the reducing valve comprises a water trap structure in the inlet passage upstream of the filter.